Scenario

The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore is preparing some new exhibits based on the various biomes of the world:

• Eastern Deciduous Forest
• Desert
• Tropical Rain Forest
• Tundra
  

Your sixth grade class has been asked to research the various biomes and develop a proposal for a re-creation of that biome at the zoo. The Maryland Zoo committee will select the best proposal for each biome and use it to create the new biome at the zoo.

Your class will be invited to the opening of the zoo exhibit.

• Essential Question: How does the interaction of abiotic and biotic factors influence the organisms within the ecosystems?

Task and Product

Your group is responsible for researching and gathering information about two biomes and their ecosystems. As a group you will write a proposal for the exhibit and submit it to the Maryland Zoo committee. Your proposal can be in the form of either a Power Point, video, or Microsoft Publisher pamphlet. Each group will be sharing their proposal with the class.

Your task is to research the Eastern Decidious Forest and one of the following biomes:

• Desert
• Tropical Rain Forest
• Tundra

Include in your proposal the following:

• temperature
• precipitation
• soil type
• special adaptations of the animals and plants
• examples of predators and prey
• examples of producers and consumer

After completing your proposal, each team will prepare an oral presentation for the class.

Assessments

The following scoring tools can be used to assess both the process of gathering information and your finished product:

• Note-taking rubric: Biomes
• Powerpoint
• Pamphlet
• Video
• Research Process-Summative(student/self)
• Research Process-Summative (Teacher)

Question

Essential Question:

How do biotic and abiotic factors influence ecosystems around the world?

Subsidiary questions:

• What types of producers, consumers and decomposers live in your biome?
• How do the abiotic factors differ from one biome to another?
• How do producers, consumers and decomposers interact with the abiotic factors in the ecosystem?
• What are the predator/prey relationships in the biome you studied?
• How could the producers from one biome survive in another one of the biomes?

Gather and Sort

Gather information from a variety of sources.

Sort your research findings using the Biome Note Taking Sheet, a graphic organizer or note cards. Be sure to avoid plagiarism and keep track of your resources for a bibliography.

Organize

Analyze your research notes to determine if you have answered all of your questions adequately as well as the essential question.

Synthesize

• What new insights have emerged about your topics?
• Which facts are the most compelling and would have the greatest impact on your audience?
  

Evaluate the effectiveness of your research for the task

• Have you gathered sufficient details about the two biomes?

Have you met with your team members to prepare your oral presentation of your biome proposal? Use this scoring tool for the oral presentation:

Assessment for Oral Presentation.

Conclusion

As you listen or view the class presentations of topics, use the Biome Table sheet to jot down key ideas and important details about how biotic and abiotic factors influence ecosystems around the world.

Reflection and/or Extension Activities:

The Maryland Zoo accepted your proposals for biomes and all the biomes were created. A few years later, a hurricane struck and the biomes were damaged. One animal escaped from each biome.

• A polar bear
• A lizard
• A parrot

Write an essay explaining whether each escaped animal would be able to adapt and survive in the eastern deciduous forest. Give at least three reasons for each animal's survival or demise based on your notes about the various biomes.

• Extended Constructed Response Scoring Tool